I wear ear plugs, I get them from work by the pocketful, just the compressable foam ones but they do the job at work and are very comfortable. My use of them on the bike is to dampen the wind noise which drowns out the exhaust sound above 40mph anyway.
I've tried nearly every earplug from foam to the ones that are rubber and look like an ice cream cone etc etc. I found with the foam ones I kept picking up ear infections no matter how many times I washed my hands. And lots of the other types were only good for a few times then ended up miss shaped and wouldn't seal properly (not blocking the noise out) The ultimate ear ones I've got are the most comfortable they are very soft and squishy. As for the people that keep saying I want to be able to hear my bike exhaust etc etc, you still hear everything they just attenuate all the noise to below 80db so you won't end up deaf. I can hear people and talk to them and hear other bikes and surrounding noises. I think some people think they will hear nothing at all as if they are deaf when they've got earplugs in. Hopefully will save the neighbours coming round and knocking on your door telling you to turn your tv down , got ears injected with the stuff then approx 5-10 minutes later they were taken out and sent away. 2wks later they arrived. Well happy with them Disposeable plugs are very cheap , but you need to change for new ideally every time you remove them from your ears. IMO you'll not take long to rack up £60 in disposable ones anyway. So some moulded make better sense. It's like buying some cheap biking boots then buying some alpinestars . You'd never go back to the cheap ones. I'm no snob and no expert on them all. Just speaking from personal experiences Steve
Seen this in today's Mcn , for anybody that hasn't . Says they are available in hard or soft versions . Just for your info
Really like my squashy ones by ultimate ear , got at Birmingham N.E.C £60 May try the ones with speakers built in next so I can try the speed camera app out ont iphone. £170 is a touch dear tho !!
There's an iphone speed camera app?!? I've still got a clean licence... but I've only owned my blade for 2 months so far... as for the bleeding ears - I've started trying out squishy foamy ear plugs are they're helping
Discovered the app off somebody's post on here the other day , apparently it's £20 a year for the camera database subscription
Ro get yer sen to the N.E.C and invest £60 , well worth sitting with gooey stuff in yer ear 10 minutes. @ the ultimate ear stand . Not till November I know but will sort next season for yer
I just look out for this: And look out for yellow road-side boxes. A lot cheaper than £20 a year app subscription and custom ear-plug speakers
On the subject of ear-plugs, has anyone ever watched the MotoGP boys and what the use. Quite a few use the squishy foam ones....and Marquez....he does and he makes me cringe.. He shoves them in his mouth first to moisten them up !!!! Someone please tell him that has to be the most unhygienic thing to do and the quickest way to a serious ear infection ever....
I total agree Steve I hear more with my squidgies in than out I pick up more mechanical noises if I have my ear plugs in and it also a lot less tiering on a long run where the constant drone and wind noise just wears you down
A lot of people I've seen don't seem to follow the instructions to put the squishy ones in properly. You roll them up and then your pull your ear backwards. This lines up your ear canal and you can literally slide them all the way into your ear. It just leaves the fat end protruding. When you get the squishy ones all the way in and properly seated their noise attenuation level is fantastic.
I always ride with ear plugs. Baffle in or out. Bike might annoy everyone. But that's parts of the fun lol. The last thing u need is o damage your hearing
I have a set of Squishy, and a set of in built speaker plugs on order from Ultimate. I ordered because the reviews were good, but I have to say that so far for customer service I would give them 0 out of 10. When I originally called to enquire, the girl on the phone just seemed obsessed with getting my credit card details, to the point that it was a little embarrassing . It took two weeks to sort out an audiologist appointment near me to get the impressions done ( £25 ), and then a month from them receiving them to me getting the plugs. They had better be good !
That don't seem too good, what's the total price ? I really rate mine they are far better than hard plastic ones and the foam disposable etc. post a quick note on her what you think to them. Steve
I'm about £280 - £290 into them so far. It seems extravagant, but since getting a whopper of an ear infection a few years ago on holiday, I have suffered chronic pain in my right ear after about an hours riding. I'm not sure if it is noise, or air pressure that causes it, but I am hoping that either way these will solve it, or at least make it better. Having said that I am waiting for a new AGV Pista GP to be painted, and since ordering it I have read that they are a really noisy helmet. ...... bugger !
I was the same with ear infections, kept getting them every few months with disposable ones & back to quacks for anti bionics all the time , be interesting to know how you like them . Especially the ones with speakers in. Take it your gunna test the speaker ones out wit speed camera app ? I think most helmets are fairly noisy, I've got an xspirit 2 marquez replics £600 and it ain't that quiet. Let us know how you go Steve
On the subject of ear plugs, I use these: DIY Custom Molded Silicone Ear Plugs - Custom Fit - 2 PAIRS - Quick Dispatch | eBay I use to have squishy foam ones, but they didn't seem that quiet and would get filthy - these are much quieter and easy to clean up (and don't get that dirty). Re the exhaust / baffle - I presume you don't sit outside your neighbours house revving the engine all day, so would guess that no baffle shouldn't be an issue. Have they complained? Hope this helps - Guy
You NEED earplugs. I've got tinnitus now from a lifetime of motorcycling and shooting. It's a pain in the ass. The stupid thing is that I would always wear ear protection to shoot but not to ride. I reckon riding is just as bad Always wear pugs now - just to stop my ears getting even more fuc&ed!
